Cedarville crushes Tiffin in a resounding 3-0 win

By Danielle Cherry 

As conference play begins, the stakes for each game increase. The Cedarville volleyball team defended its home court, passing with precision and dominating the net, earning the title of victor in a 3-0 game against Tiffin on September 24.  

Coming off a victory against Hillsdale the week prior, the Jackets were ready to continue to show GMAC who they were. 

The Jackets owned the net. Janae Heegaard’s towering 6’3” stature made the Dragons fumble balls, trying everything to get around her imposing blocks. Not only was Heegaard imposing, she was sneaky in her hitting, running over to the outside for a kill despite her middle positioning. 

While the front lines protected the net, Cedarville’s back row was unflinching as balls came flying from Tiffin hits. The team adjusted to the tips and pushes the Dragons were throwing at them, covering so much of the court, one would have thought there were more than six players out there. 

“I thought we pursued well,” said head coach Greg Smith.  

While their last home game was marked by a lack of communication, this game, the Jackets stepped up their on-court chemistry, moving as one unit. Their team effort was evident in their cheerful encouragement of one another on the court as well as echoing words from their teammates on the bench. 

Despite a couple of missed serves from the Jackets, energy was high during the first set. Their relentless pursuit of the ball made them take the first set by storm in a 25-18 fashion, hitting .367% to Tiffin’s .167%. 

“The second set, Tiffin served a little tougher,” Smith said. “We were still passing well, but not as readily as we were doing in the first set.”

Cedarville came out with impressive swinging, but their back row began to break down, and so did their confidence. As Tiffin’s hits got harder, the Jackets began to make mistakes. Starting in the lead, Cedarville let the Dragons catch back up on a four-point run. 

“What hurt us was we got lax, way too lax,” Smith said. 

As energy on the court dwindled, hits started banging against walls, and balls dropped from Tiffin kills. Coach Smith called a timeout, bluntly reminding the girls of their capabilities on the court, encouraging them that their strength comes from high energy and precision. 

It was like a switch turned on. The atmosphere on the court visibly lit up, shifting Cedarville from playing in desperation to win to playing with intention and enjoyment. 

Alivia Rutt and Meagan Johnson stood out in their impressive ball handling, dusting the floor with dives and rolls, reaching balls that seemed impossible. Their grit allowed the team to push forward in their lead, recovering from Tiffin’s quick catch-up. 

“We can’t play up and down based on who we are playing,” Smith said. “We got to play our game, our brand of volleyball.”

The energy drop-off in the second set only made the team more resolute. Kaley Matney, with 38 assists, positioned excellent kills with well-timed and precise sets. As a result, Cam Davenport came out swinging .667%, smashing the Dragons with her 10 kills, and helping Cedarville win the second set 25-22.

The third set play portrayed what Cedarville volleyball is all about—playing their brand of volleyball as one. As new players were being brought onto the court, the team adjusted with ease, jumping for joy and screaming when their teammates put up huge double blocks. 

Tiffin’s .036 hitting percentage was no match for the aggression that Cedarville pounded them with. Aces sent the Dragons to their knees as cheers erupted throughout the whole gymnasium. 

In a stark 25-12 difference, Cedarville won the third match. This season, the Jackets stand 8-2 overall, giving them a hope to sustain this level of play for a future GMAC tournament win. 

GMAC teams are tougher than some of Cedarville’s other opponents, but the Yellow Jackets stood their ground, remaining undefeated in the conference. On Friday, September 26, Cedarville faces off against Kentucky Wesleyan at 7 p.m., where they hope to play the brand of volleyball Cedarville is known for. 

Danielle Cherry is a sophomore communication major and writer for Cedars A&E and Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany and loves to travel, play volleyball and talk about Marvel.